Trending Now

You are here

Home » EXAMINING EMOTIONAL EXPRESSIONS: Assessing behaviors in children that may lead to violence

EXAMINING EMOTIONAL EXPRESSIONS: Assessing behaviors in children that may lead to violence

Editor’s note: The following is a two-part series on the behavioral patterns of children.SOUTH WHITLEY – The job of violence prevention and school safety has fallen in the lap of administrators and faculty.However, parents and guardians can aid school leaders in creating a safer and more stable school environment. Victoria Cornwell is the mental health therapist for Whitko Community Schools. Interacting with students day in and day out, Cornwell has some suggestions parents should heed. From her professional perspective, there are some warning signs parents should be on the lookout for if they want to spot the early signs of violent tendencies in their child.

Understanding your child

Parents should recognize what developmental stage their child is in, Cornwell advised.“If you are parenting a teenager and you witness a mood swing, that’s not a cause for concern,” said Cornwell.“If that teen is positive most of the time, an occasional mood swing is a normal. For teenagers, moody behavior is part of that developmental stage. Parents should recognize that their teen is in this area of life and afford them a little leniency.”Behavioral patterns that indicate a consistent negative direction is what should most alarm parents.To read the rest of this story, see the March 15 issue of The Post and Mail. Don't have a subscription? Call (260) 244-5153 or subscribe to our e-edition. For breaking news, sports updates and additional coverage, bookmark the homepage and find us on facebook.